The Psoas Muscle and your Back Health

In our clinic, we see many cases of back pain. Not surprising since 80% of people will experience back discomfort in their lifetime. Part of our assessment process to get to the root of the problem is examining the different muscles that play a role in keeping your back and core strength.   

One of the muscles that I see have weakness frequently is the psoas major muscle. This is the strongest hip flexor muscle that enables you to lift your leg out in front of your body and laterally rotate your hip. So what does this have to do with back pain? 

The psoas major muscle originates at the lateral aspect of the 12th thoracic and 1st-5th lumbar vertebrae and attaches at the top of the inner thigh on both sides of your body. It literally connects the upper body to the lower body. 

You use this muscle when hiking or walking uphill, getting up from a lying position, and helps with movement and stabilizing your body during exercise and even sitting. In fact, just tilting your pelvis forward and back uses the psoas major muscle, so it definitely has an effect on your posture.

The psoas is responsible for bending the spine left and right, forward and back, contributing to anterior tilting of the pelvis, and consequently putting strain on the lumbar, hip, and gluteal muscles. When the psoas is tight or shortened, you may feel pain presenting in the lower back, abdomen, or front of the upper quadricep.  

Sitting for long hours, at home or at work, may be hazardous to your spine health. Prolonged sitting is defined as four or more hours in duration. If we take into consideration drive time, desk time, eating time, and tv/lounge time, this adds up to a shorter, tighter and weaker, psoas muscle. 

And take into consideration that the psoas major muscle is known as the fight or flight muscle. It reacts to stress in the body, whether present or past. Holding this protective posture in your hips contracts the psoas muscle and is detrimental to your back and your mind. 

Awareness of our body positioning throughout the day and night is key in helping us stay healthy and strong. Witness how you are standing during the day. With the proper guidance and awareness, you can begin to make small changes that will last a lifetime. 

Your body was designed to move. Think about gentle exercises such as tai chi or yoga to help relax, strengthen and tone the body. Our DVD Qi Gong for Back Pain can guide you in specific movements for building core strength, stretching and opening the back, and improving blood flow to help diminish pain and soreness. And be sure to look into my book with Dr. Mao, Back to Pain-Free Health, Secrets of Natural Healing for Back Pain, for more tips to keep you young and strong.